If you wake up in the
morning, have had your coffee and still find yourself waving to or even
embracing strangers in the coffee shop — post-caffeine fix — because
you’ve confused them with your friends and family, it may be time to
consider an upgrade to your eyesight.

In Boulder, you have a choice when it comes to eye services. Boulder Eyes and Boulder Eye Surgeons tied
this year for Boulder’s best LASIK services. If you are having trouble
viewing this message, it may be time to call one of them up, ditch the
contact lenses and enjoy your right to perfect sight.

Here’s one category where we hope our readers cast their votes from experience, but very limited and positive experience.

Unfortunately, that’s not always the case. When hospital trips are necessary, our readers say the best place to head is Boulder Community Hospital and its eastern sister, Foothills Community Hospital. BCH
is a not-for-profit that pushes itself to stay current on medical
technology — and, conveniently, offers what we’d consider
Boulder-centric services like knee reconstruction and sports massages.

The hospital system withstood a nagging computer issue early in 2013, but our voters’ faith didn’t waver.

The
second-place finisher, Boulder Medical Center, is a group of physicians
covering dozens of specialties, from radiology to allergy.

When
it comes to the health of our animals, only the best will do. So where
do Boulder pet owners go when they need to get Fluffy’s rabies shot or
Ginger needs to be spayed? The Humane Society of Boulder Valley Veterinary Clinic, that’s
where. The clinic offers a full spectrum of services, from basic
heartworm tests and vaccinations to acupuncture, dentistry and
radiology. What’s really cool about being a Veterinary Clinic client is
the online Pet Portal, where you can keep track of vaccines,
medications and upcoming visits so your furry sidekick is always the
picture of health. Karma bonus: Proceeds benefit the Humane Society.

STAFF PICK: Energy Drink

HICKENLOOPER’S FRACKING FLUID

Yeah,
this one takes the cake as one of the worst, most misleading publicity
stunts we’ve seen all year. When our governor, John Hickenlooper, told
a congressional committee in February that he drank fracking fluid to
demonstrate how safe it is, it turned out that the version of fluid he
was drinking was not actually the toxic brew that’s being used in
wells in Colorado. It was a new, safe-to-drink version that is too
expensive for companies to use. Maybe when he doesn’t get re-elected,
Frackenlooper will wake up and smell the methane.

STAFF PICK: Environmental Moment

NOV. 6, 2012, LONGMONT CITIZENS PASS FRACKING BAN

The
governor said they couldn’t do it. The oil and gas companies said they
couldn’t do it. Industry trade groups like COGA went to unbelievable and
even questionable lengths to stop them from doing it. A bunch of old
crusty former Republican mayors said they shouldn’t do it. The industry
hired consultants and spent hundreds of thousands of dollars to try to
buy the election to prevent them from doing it. But the people said no, no to fracking in
their city, not now, not ever. They stood up to the unprecedented
pressure being applied to them and they won. They stood up for their
health, their children’s health and their property values. It was an
amazing stand and it was this year’s best environmental moment for
Boulder County and one of the best for the planet.